The Politics Of Division Is Not Our Way

I hope you are going to celebrate all things Quebec tomorrow. We have the privilege of living in one of the most unique and incredible parts of Canada. It is unfortunate that we often allow the politics of the day to keep hidden the best part of this province, which is the people. La Fête National is not about the government of this land but about its citizens. It's not even about language, we just made language the focus.

Many years ago the French language came to represent the culture of Quebec and became a cornerstone of identity. There are a number of places in the world that are in the same position, but there are also a few unique places that find their identity in things other than language. One of these places is the Netherlands (Holland), and in a parallel fashion, the people of Flanders. I have had the privilege of knowing some great people from this area of the world.

In Holland/Flanders different languages are not seen as a threat but as a means of communicating, which is the purpose of language. They seemed to take on such a love for language that learning as many languages as possible was celebrated. My great grandmother was originally from Passchendaele in west Flanders. From all accounts she spoke six languages but did not teach them to any of her children.

I might consider this just a story passed down about a well loved lady but my own experience told me how true it was. When I moved to Belgium one of the first young people I met was a 14 year old young lady who offered to act as my interpreter. When I asked how many languages she spoke she told me five and was hoping to learn a couple more. She was Flemish.

My point is that these people did not find their identity in language. Their culture was not defined by language. These people were tied together by a shared history and wonderfully expanding traditions. It was relationships, their way of life and their shared values that defined them. They did not feel threatened by new languages but embraced them.

This is very close to the expression of the Kingdom and the Church that represents Jesus. Paul wrote:

“You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus. All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28)

We have made the mistake like Quebec politicians of trying to rob the Body of the diversity that makes us beautiful and strong. What we have in common is that there is only one way to the Father, who is Christ Jesus. We are united under the same Father and we are joined together by the same Spirit. We share in the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. We have the same mission which is to demonstrate the Kingdom to a lost and dying world. Our vocabulary is that of the Kingdom. Our actions are those of our King. But we are not defined by one of the many diverse languages we use to worship nor one of the many traditions of the culture we were born to. Our identity is found in Jesus.

We are wrong to allow any of these things to separate us from each other or to be a source of division. Just as there is nothing that separates us from the love of Christ there should not be anything that separates us from this same expression of his love in each other. Our goal with each other is to love each other with Father’s extravagant love. Together we stand. Je me souviens.

Are You Adding To Or Taking Away From The Body Of Christ?

The Church certainly looks like she is fractured into many pieces with no hope of unity. It is a shame that one group always seems to think they have the total and complete revelation and understanding of God. It is also a shame when a congregation believes it is self contained and needs no one from the "outside". It is a sad thing that denominations are set up in such a way that if you are a pastor or teacher who does not belong to that denomination you cannot preach there. The diversity of the Church in her revelations, understanding, teaching and manifestation of the Spirit is a beautiful thing but we make it ugly.

The doctrines of the various denominations are basically the same with a slightly different emphasis on some aspects of the teaching so unity should not be a problem. But we allow these simple matters of doctrinal emphasis to become walls where one thinks it is better than another. Can I tell you, with such an attitude these denominations are demonstrating they don't understand the most basic teaching of Jesus. They need to go back to "kindergarten". Read this:

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)

Diversity in the Body of Christ is a given, as long as it is a diversity produced by the Spirit of God. We know unity is the will of Jesus because it was his final prayer for us, that we would have oneness with each other as we have it with Jesus. Unity is made possible because of the Spirit of God. All that we have comes from the Spirit; all our revelations, gifts, ministries come from him. They did not come from us, they were not our idea, they did not happen by our will. If they did we had better shut it all down and run back to the Spirit quickly because we are off track and nothing we have done will survive.

We have been baptized by and in the same Spirit because he has formed one Body. In that Body we have diversity because the Body needs diversity to function properly. The greatness of the Spirit cannot be contained in one person so he has spread himself out among all believers. Let me remind you of my previous posts:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

The diversity of the Body is for the common good of all believers. Instead of attacking the differences we should be celebrating. Instead of trying to copy another person`s ministry or giftings we should be working all that much harder with our own. The fact is I need you and you need me. You have something from the Spirit that will help me in my growth and in my service and what I have you need as well.

We must change our vision and perspective of the Body of Christ. We have to start understanding that we need each other and we must work together. We should be willing to listen to each other knowing that we need each other to be complete. It is the Spirit of God who has done this, who has created such diversity and we need to be celebrators of this diversity. Unity is found in the Holy Spirit, under the authority and headship of Jesus Christ.

I am going to give this out in spoon-sized bits so we can take the time to digest it better. For today just meditate on the understanding that the diversity of the Church has been brought about by the Spirit and that even in this diversity we need unity to work. It may seem impossible but at the end of this chapter we will look at how it is possible to achieve. If you wish to go back and start this from my first posting here they are:

1) Living By The Spirit Of God Is The Only Way To Live In Jesus

2) Why Can't You Do Miracles?

3) To Each One The Manifestation Of The Spirit Is Given